Kevin De Bruyne, a midfielder for Manchester City, has provided an explanation as to why his team would have trouble creating opportunities against Inter on the eve of the Champions League final on Saturday night.
The Belgian international claimed that the Simone Inzaghi-led Inter system is one that he and his teammates rarely see in the Premier League while speaking with coach Pep Guardiola during City’s pre-game news conference on Friday night.
De Bruyne lauded Inter’s defense and added that, given the strain of competing in a significant European final, he does not anticipate there to be many clear-cut chances on the evening.
De Bruyne stated on Friday night, “We understand Inter. The two strikers control the ball well and play a compact 5-3-2, and they have runners from midfield. They play defense quite well. Since open games are uncommon in championship games, we don’t anticipate one.
“We shouldn’t become overly anxious too soon. Perhaps there won’t be many chances in the beginning. We must continue to play the way we do, feel at ease, and attempt to capitalize on opportunities.
“Over the past five to six years, a lot of the lower-level teams in the Premier League have played with a five, possibly even a 5-4-1, but they do it with two strikers, which is a little different. Inter has an advantage over English teams because they play it frequently, are experts at it, and are very good at it.
De Bruyne also endorsed recent praise for City from Inter coach Inzaghi, who asserted that the Manchester team is the clear favorites going into the championship game.
“Thank you to the coach, we work hard to perform at the best of our abilities,” he retorted. We’ve had a lot of success at home, winning many games and medals. Everyone is familiar with our playstyle and offensive and defensive alignment. We’ll try to follow through tomorrow.
De Bruyne and City are still without the coveted Champions League trophy despite enjoying a trophy-laden period in the North East of England since his move from Wolfsburg in 2015.
“I’ve been here for a very long time; the eight years I’ve spent here have been great for me. There have been many exciting moments, yet despite competing, we haven’t yet succeeded in taking first place. It’s the only comment anyone can make about us. We have consistently performed well in this competition. We must figure out how to win the first one. For the players, club, and supporters, it would be enormous, remarked De Bruyne.